John Adams

Thursday

Mar 16, 2017 at 11:52 AMMar 16, 2017 at 11:52 AM

Background/Early Life• John Adams grew up in Massachusetts, attending Harvard College before launching a successful career as a lawyer. He was well-respected in Boston and chosen to defend the British soldiers charged in the 1770 Boston Massacre. He argued for them in a tense political climate, and they were not sent to jail.• Adams was a prolific writer, often crafting essays supporting the cause of rebels against England. • Adams was a member of the Massachusetts delegation to both the First and Second Continental Congresses. He later spent time in Europe enlisting the help of the French during the American Revolution and then to help negotiate the treaty that ended the war.• He served as the first United States minister to England before coming back to America to serve as the country’s first vice president.How he defined the office• Because of how much time he spent overseas Adams was uniquely qualified as president to handle foreign affairs. He felt he could handle foreign matters while Congress dealt with domestic policy.• In 1800 John and Abigail Adams moved into the still-unfinished Executive Mansion (later to be called the White House), where every president since has lived.

Successes and failures• Adams became president at a time France, in the midst of its Revolution, saw a treaty between the United States and England as a threat. Adams attempted to send representatives to France, but they were not received at first by the prime minister, and then would only be received if the United States paid a bribe. This became known as the XYZ Affair, and it upset many in America.• Many of Adams’s policies were a reaction to the problems in France: The Navy Department was created, and Adams worked with Congress to build up the Army and the Navy. Taxes were increased to help pay for these measures. In response to a distrust of the French, the controversial Alien and Sedition Acts were passed in 1798, which allowed for the detention of enemy aliens without a trial, the lengthening of the naturalization period before someone could become an American citizen, and the punishment of speech against the government. France and America were involved in conflicts at sea until Adams finally was able to send representatives to negotiate peace with France before he left office.Notable quote• “Because power corrupts, society’s demand for moral authority and character increase as the importance of the position increases.”